Pile driver



May 18, 1937. PFEIFFER 2,080,951

PILE DRIVER Filed Dec. :51, 19:54 2 sheetsr'sheet 1 Fig. 7 7, 2

\ Pfeijf May 18, 1937. pFElFFER I 2,080,951

FILE DRIVER Filed Dec. 31, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 18, 1937UNITED- STATES 11 m; DRIVER Paul Pfeifier, Altona, Germany ApplicationDecember 31, 1934, Serial No. 759,979

In Germany February 16, 1934 3 Claims. (01. 611-774) This inventionrelates to improvements in pile drivers, and more particularly to novelmeans for connecting the runner or hammer lead to the supporting 'frame.

5 In the usual arrangement for mounting runners or hammer leads in piledrivers, the runner can swing at its upper end on a tilting device, andis adjustably connected at its lower portion for horizontal movementtoward or away from 10 the supporting frame. With such arrangements, inorder to change the position of the runner, especially in the verticaldirection, adjustment must be made of the device carrying it. In otherwords, there is no provision made in the 15 structures heretoforeproposed for vertically adjusting the runner relatively to thesupporting frame.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide apile driver structure in which the runner is swingable with its upperend on the head of the frame; is readily displaceable verticallyrelatively to said frame, and has its lower end mounted so as to behorizontally displaceable on the carriage by means of a spindle gear orother mechanical device.

This arrangement has the advantage that the height of the runner can bealtered as required, without varying the inclination and the distancebetween the runner and the frame. It is also possible with thisarrangement, for example, to obtain low positions of the runner fordriving piles in trenches, while maintaining a sufiiciently greatdistance between the lower end of said runner and the frame to preventthe latter from l 35 slipping down the slope of the trench on account ofthe weight of the pile driver. Moreover, in driving piles with rearwardinclination, the center of gravity of the whole pile driver can bearranged in such a manner that it remains within the tilting edge sothat the pile driver remains stable.

The invention is illustrated in a constructional example in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive are sideelevations illustrating the pile driver of my invention in differentoperating positions.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the means for connecting theframe to the hammer lead.

50 Fig. 6 is a view partly in horizontal section and partly in top plan,showing the hammer lead connected to the head of the frame.

In accordance with the present invention, the pile driver frame a ispivotally connected at its 55 lower end, as indicated at b, to acarriage frame said carriage.

m, so that "it cannot be displaced relatively to The hammer lead orrunner c of the device, on the other hand, is swingably mounted on thehead or upper end of the frame by means of a bracket 9 which isrotatable about journal members d arranged in the head e of the frame.The runner is slidable in grooves s provided in the bracket, and for thepurpose of vertically adjusting the runner relatively to said bracket, Iprovide a bolt or pin it adapted to slide through an aperture in saidbracket and engage the surface of said runner, or register with spacedapertures arranged on the side wall of said runner. Any suitable meansmay be employed for normally forcing the pin against the runner toprevent the latter from accidentally moving upwardly or downwardlyrelatively to the bracket. If apertures are providedon the runner, forreceiving the pin, conventional means may be employed for retracting thepin from said apertures when vertical adjustment of the runner isdesired. As seen from Fig. 6, shafts f forming extensions of the journalmembers d, serve as bearings for the pulleys or idlers i which guide thehammer and pile lifting ropes. At this point it will be noted that thepin it will retain its position between the hammer lead and the bracket,regardless of the inclination of the lead with respect to the frame.

In setting up the device, the hammer lead 0 is connected to the bracketg by means of pin it which is carried by said bracket, and the latter isthen suspended in bearings formed in the head e m the frame. Thebearings, as best shown in Fig. 5, are preferably open at the top tofacilitate attachment of the bracket to said frame. Due to thisconstruction and the small weight of the bracket g, the insertion of theleader 0 in the slots s, which has to be done after the frame a has beenerected, only requires little assistance on the part of the operator.This is particularly advantageous because at such heights, it would bevery difficult to assemble the parts if they were of heavy construction.

As above stated, the runner is mounted on the carriage supporting theframe in such manner that it may be readily displaced horizontally byany suitable means such as a spindle gear as shown in Figs. 1 to 4inclusive, or other suitable mechanical device. Such spindle gear orother conventional operating means may be carried by, a platform msupporting the carriage, and operate to advance or retire the carriage nholding the lower end of the runner 0, thus making the latter adjustablehorizontally.

frame, means on said bracket for vertically ad-' justing said leadrelatively to the frame, and means for displacing the lower end of thelead in a substantially horizontal direction toward or away from thelower end of said frame.

2. In a pile driver of the character described, a frame, a hammer lead,a bracket rotatably mounted on the upper end of said frame andconnecting the upper portion of said lead to the frame for swingingmovement relatively to said frame, a bolt slidable in said bracket andadapted to abut against said lead for vertically adjusting said leadrelatively to said frame, and means for displacing the lower end of thelead in a substantially horizontal direction toward or away from thelower end of said frame.

3. In a pile driver of the character described including a hammer, aframe, a hammer lead, a bracket provided with laterally extendingjournal members rotatably mounted on the upper end of said frame, meanson said bracket for connecting the upper portion of said lead to theframe for swinging movement relatively to said frame, means slidable insaid bracket and adapted to engage said lead for vertically adjustingsaid lead relatively to said frame, said journal members extendinglaterally beyond the outer end of said frame, rope pulleys for raisingand lowering said hammer, mounted on said lateral extensions of saidjournal members, and means for displacing the lower end; of the lead ina substantially horizontal direction toward or away from the lower endof said frame.

PAUL PFEIFFER.

